Expansion of the greens added new pin placements and increased scoring.

Ranking:

28th-most difficult of 51 used in 2018. South Course was eighth-most difficult last season.

History Lessons

Previous Winners (since 2012):

Year

Winner

Score

Comment

2018

Jason Day

-10

Defeated Alex Noren and Ryan Palmer in a playoff that stretched into Monday.

2017

Jon Rahm

-13

First TOUR win in his first appearance.

2016

Brandt Snedeker

-6

Severe weather ripped the course apart and delayed the finish until Monday.

2015

Jason Day

-9

Won a four-man playoff.

2014

Scott Stallings

-9

Gary Woodland led after 54 but Stallings made up four shots to win.

2013

Tiger Woods

-14

Led by four after 54, won for the seventh time.

2012

Brandt Snedeker

-16

Kyle Stanley led by five after 54 but lost in a playoff.

Recent History Lessons

2018-19 Winners

Event

Winner

Safeway Open

Kevin Tway**

CIMB Classic

Marc Leishman

CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES

Brooks Koepka

Sanderson Farms Championship

Cameron Champ**

WGC-HSBC Champions

Xander Schauffele

Shriners Hospitals for Children

Bryson DeChambeau

Mayakoba Golf Classic

Matt Kuchar

The RSM Classic

Charles Howell III

Hero World Challenge*

Jon Rahm

Sentry TOC

Xander Schauffele (2)

Sony Open in Hawaii

Matt Kuchar (2)

60th Desert Classic

Adam Long**

(* unofficial event; **First-time winner)

Facts and Figures:

The South Course is used for three of the four rounds so weekend course history is real and spectacular.

Tournament Record:

266 (-22); George Burns (1987), Tiger Woods (1999).

Course Records:

South – 62; Tiger Woods (1999).

North – 64; Jason Day (post-renovation) last year.

Recent Defending Champion(s):

Tiger Woods won four straight from 2005-2008.

Multiple Winners (entered)

Woods, Day and Snedeker.

First TOUR Win (last):

Jay Don Blake (1991) and Jon Rahm (2017).

First-time (event):

Arnold Palmer (1957) and Jon Rahm (2017).

Low Round 2018:

64; Jason Day (North) Round 2.

Odd Fact:

Last eight winners have opened on the South Course.

Odd Fact II:

Last five winners opened 72 or worse.

Odd Fact III:

Only four internationals have won but two have won three of the last four (Day twice, Rahm).

The Confidence Factor was the weekly column I wrote for PGATOUR.COM. It has evolved into Horses for Courses. I’ve included the link here for you. It can also be found in The Confidence Factor section at my website. For now. Until I make a new category. Relax.

Inside the ropes

A big-boy field arrives in La Jolla to unofficially officially kick of the 2019 season. World No. 1. Tiger. Rory. Rahm. Day. The list goes on and on as we welcome the return of PAR as a decent score.

The South Course is an absolute beast and will add plenty of squares and others to the scorecards this week. Taming this track will take a big stick and nerves to putt bumpy Poa annua late in the afternoon during winning time.

The North Course renovation has proven useful. Even though it plays “easier” than the South Course, it is no longer the pushover it once was. Easy Par-5 holes are counterbalanced by very difficult Par-3 targets (READ: LONG) and pin placements that make pre-2017 yardage books insignificant.

The South Course will be updated after the conclusion of this year’s event. Read all about it:

Only six players in the last two years have posted a score of double-digits under-par. The previous three events did not and that was with the old, “easier” in play. Bring your lunch this week.

Here’s what the last four winners have done:

STAT

Jason Day

Jon Rahm

Brandt Snedeker

Jason Day

Year

2018

2017

2016

2015

Driving Accuracy

T26

T19

T57

T49

Greens in Regulation

T11

T12

T14

T8

Putts per GIR

4th

T10

4

33

Putting: Birdie-or-Better %

T1

45

30

T37

Scrambling

T17

14

5

8

Bogey Avoidance

T9

T1

1

7

Par-3 Scoring

T40

T27

T2

T31

Par-4 Scoring

T1

T6

5

1

Par-5 Scoring

T10

T2

T40

T31

Course Horses

CONFIDENCE MEN

Selected golfers with multiple cuts made sorted by rank on the tournament’s money list.

Rank

Player

Cuts Made/Starts

Top 10s

Best Finish

1

Tiger Woods

13/17

12

7 wins

2

Brandt Snedeker

10/12

7

Win (2012, 2016)

4

Jason Day

6/9

4

Win (2010, 2015)

5

Charles Howell III

16/16

8

2nd three times

Course History Lessons

Player

Cuts Made/Starts

Top 10s

Last

Best (Other)

Alex Noren

1/1

1

P2 (2018)

P2 (2018)

Ryan Palmer

3/5

1

P2 (2018)

1st app since ’10

J.B. Holmes

10/13

3

4 (2018)

T2 (2015)

Keegan Bradley

6/8

2

5 (2018)

T4 (2017)

Tony Finau

4/4

2

T6, T4 (18-17)

T24 or better all 4

Justin Rose

6/9

2

T8, T4 (18-17)

2 best with New North

Harris English

6/6

2

T8 (2018)

T2 (2015)

Marc Leishman

8/10

4

T8 (2018)

T2 (2010, 2014)

Jon Rahm

2/2

1

Win (2017)

T29 (2018)

C.T. Pan

2/2

1

T2 (2017)

T35 (2018)

Pat Perez

10/16

3

T4 (2017)

T2 (2014)

Patrick Rodgers

1/3

1

T4 (2017)

MC, MC

Robert Streb

4/5

1

T9 (2017)

T19 or better 3 of last 4

Brian Harman

4/6

1

T9 (2017)

T32

J.J. Spaun

2/2

1

T9 (2017)

T23 last year

Ollie Schniederjans

2/3

1

T9 (2017)

MC last year; T49 ’16

Kevin Streelman

4/8

1

3 (2016)

T29 twice

Jimmy Walker

6/11

4

T4 (2016)

T4 (2013)

Jonas Blixt

5/7

1

T6 (2016)

4 of 5 T34 or better

Billy Horschel

5/8

1

T8 (2016)

only other top 25 is T23

Martin Laird

7/10

2

T8 (2016)

T7 (2015)

John Huh

6/7

2

T8 (2016)

T6 (2012)

Scott Stallings

3/7

2

T2 (2015)

Win (2014)

Alex Prugh

3/4

2

T5 (2015)

T5 (2010)

Nick Watney

10/14

6

T7 (2015)

Win (2009)

Charley Hoffman

12/21

2

T7 (2014)

T7 (2009); Hometown

Gary Woodland

9/9

1

T10 (2014)

5 of last 6 T27 >

Russell Knox

2/4

1

T10 (2014)

T29 (2018)

Before 2014

Josh Teater

4/5

1

T2 (2013)

First time since 2014

Rickie Fowler

5/9

2

T6 (2013)

T5 (2010); 4 of last 5 MC

Bill Haas

11/13

3

T9 (2013)

T4 (2014)

Kyle Stanley

6/8

1

2 (2012)

Brutal Loss

Cameron Tringale

7/9

1

T4 (2012)

Married last weekend

D.A. Points

6/11

3

T8 (2012)

T9 (2010), 5 (2011)

Jhonattan Vegas

6/8

1

T3 (2011)

4 of 6 makes T28 <

Ben Crane

8/13

2

Win (2010)

T7 (2009)

2018 Finish

2017 Finish

New North Course

debut

in 2017

01 Jason Day

MC

P2 Alex Noren

last year first appearance

P2 Ryan Palmer

first appearance since ’10

04 JB Holmes

T33

05 Keegan Bradley

T4

T6 Tony Finau

T4

T6 Charles Howell III

T2

T8 Harris English

T14

T8 Marc Leishman

T20

T8 Justin Rose

T4

T12 Emiliano Grillo

T33

T12 Brandon Harkins

first appearance

T12 Tom Hoge

DNS (MC 2016, 2015)

T12 Hideki Matsuyama

T33

T12 Gary Woodland

T20

T20 Abraham Ancer

DNS (MC 2016)

T20 Rory Sabbatini

T14

T20 Cameron Smith

T33

T23 Chesson Hadley

DNS

T23 Michael Kim

bad final rounds

16, ’18

both windy

T54

T23 Patrick Reed

DNS

T23 JJ Spaun

T9

T23 Tiger Woods

MC

2018 Finish

2017 Finish

New North Course

debut

in 2017

T29 Russell Knox

first appearance since ’15

T29 Jon Rahm

WIN

T29 Brendan Steele

T20

T29 Kevin Streelman

T67

T35 Brice Garnett

DNS

T35 Cody Gribble

first appearance

T35 Charley Hoffman

T54

T35 Beau Hossler

T49

T35 Si Woo Kim

WD

T35 Chris Kirk

DNS

T35 CT Pan

One bad round of

eight

total

T2

T35 Kevin Tway

T41

T45 James Hahn

MC

T45 John Huh

76

T45 Brandt Snedeker

T9

T51 Patrick Cantlay

DNS

T51 Talor Gooch

first appearance

T54 Kyle Stanley

T14

T54 Bill Haas

DNS

T54 Billy Horschel

T64

T58 Bud Cauley

MC

T58 Cameron Davis

first appearance

T58 Danny Lee

MC

T58 Cameron Tringale

T73

T58 Nick Watney

MC

T63 Keith Mitchell

first appearance

T63 Jimmy Walker

MC

66 Robert Streb

T9

T67 Ben Silverman

first appearance

T69 Sung Kang

MC

T69 Hunter Mahan

T67

T69 Sean O’Hair

DNS

T73 JT Poston

MC

T75 Grayson Murray

MC

T75 Nick Taylor

T54

MC 2018

2017 RESULT

Alex Cejka

MC

Rickie Fowler

MISSED LAST 3

MC

Whee Kim

MC

Peter Malnati

MC

Rod Pampling

MC

Seamus Power

MC

Xander Schauffele

0-3 CAREER

MC

Ollie Schniederjans

T9

Shawn Stefani

0-4 CAREER

DNS

Jhonattan Vegas

T28

Richy Werenski

T20

Aaron Wise

T71

MC 2018

2017 RESULT

Bronson Burgoon

DNS

Stewart Cink

T20

Mackenzie Hughes

T54

Jamie Lovemark

MC

Jonas Blixt

T20

Patrick Rodgers

T4

Scott Stallings

MC

Martin Laird

T74

Michael Thompson

T14

Harold Varner III

MC

Brian Harman

T9

Kelly Kraft

T28

Chalk

Shouldn’t need much explanation for these fellas!

Justin Rose: The No. 1 player in the world had a week to fine-tune his new weaponry last week in the desert. This week he should start getting through the gears.

Tiger Woods: Aaaaaaaah, normalcy! The annual start to his season will have him paired with Finau and Schauffele at his spiritual home.

Marc Leishman: He’s done everything but win in his first two events of 2019 and loves this track.

Jon Rahm: Hit it great last week and six of his eight rounds here. With the absence of weather this week, I’d expect another week like 2017.

Patrick Cantlay: He hasn’t played enough anywhere to be put off by past performance. The current form and familiarity with the area is all I need.

Jason Day: Ben Everill at PGATOUR.COM points out he’s put new irons in his bag. Good. Just don’t touch the putter or the wedges!!

Tony Finau: The ONLY reason I’d leapfrog him this week is his playing partner the first two rounds. The good news is this is a place where you can make up ground quickly with a solid weekend.

Rory McIlroy: Stripe show travels and the less putts required to make, the better.

Brandt Snedeker: Coastal golf is where he does his most damage and two of his nine wins are at Torrey South.

Gary Woodland: A bit snake-bit around here but his skill set matches nicely. I’ve tried to make him my OAD every week for a reason!

Alex Noren: First-timer last year led the field in GIR before falling to Day in the playoff. He’ll gladly glide under the radar as he usually does.

Charles Howell III: The question with CH3 is when to get OFF the bus. Not this week as he’s 16-for-16 with eight top-10 paydays.

Keegan Bradley: Of his last eight rounds seven are in the red so it’s not a surprised he’s cashed in the top five each time. The more demanding tee-to-green the better.

Patrick Reed: Nice bounce-back performance in Hawaii with a tougher track to navigate. The American version of Jason Day for my money.

Xander Schauffele: COURSE HISTORIANS LOOK AWAY! I’m leaning on all of his class but he did get a tad unlucky with the Woods draw. Not many enjoy their time with the circus that surrounds. Maybe that’s EXACTLY what he needs to break is hoo-doo here. CHOO-CHOO! ALL ABOARD!

Supporting Actors

J.B. Holmes: Begins his season here and has hit the top 10 in three of his last four. Bomb and gouge forever!

Daniel Berger: When healthy, and I believe he is, he should be in the group above. His first test with legit rough will provide another clue for gamers moving forward.

Emiliano Grillo: MC~T33~T12 last three and T12 last year shows he’s figuring it out. He’s cashed in 12 straight worldwide.

Harris English: One of handful that has hit the top 15 the last two seasons (Rose, Finau and Bradley), English has enough power to hang-out here.

Abraham Ancer: Another week another top 30 for the Mexican who is showing no signs of slowing down. He’s giving me no reason to drop him so I won’t!

Jason Kokrak: Gave him a look last week as well and he cashed for the 10th event running. Knocks it a mile and handle a putt or two on Poa.

Cameron Champ: Many have asked so I’ll answer: Nobody doubts his length or talent. There will be ups-and-downs (see Kapalua~Waialae) as the learning curve will be navigated. This week the length is a clear differentiator but he’ll need to be sharp around the greens. I’m learning, too!

Cameron Smith: Australian Snedeker is trending in the proper direction (T33, T20) here.

Kyle Stanley: Top 10 in fairways and greens are never a bad combo. Unfinished business here from 2012 and a forecast that will help this year.

J.J. Spaun: I can’t hide him anywhere this week. Hopefully T51 in the desert last week will push him back into the crowd and nobody will notice his cuts-made streak.

Ryan Palmer: After reaching the playoff last year he was probably wondering what took him so long to make it back. His previous appearance was 2010.

Adam Scott: First-timer is shaking the schedule up. I have no idea which Adam Scott is showing up but if it’s the beast from tee-to-green, he should be of value this week.

Russell Knox: Riding the wave from the last two weeks as T43 turned to T18 turns to…

Caution

Jordan Spieth: Though I could not caution all, still might warn a few; don’t lend a hand to raise no flag atop a ship of fools. In 10 rounds he’s broke 71 exactly once.

Rickie Fowler: Old-skewl gamers will remember when he was T20 or better in his first four here. NEW SCHOOL gamers who believe in course form stopped reading at “Fowler”. Let’s see if his new Taylor Made golf ball helps.

Hideki Matsuyama: He doesn’t play up to his level here or at Waialae. Don’t let a wind-aided 69 in the final round last year convince you otherwise. Let him get the kinks out and WHAM! OAD WINNER NEXT WEEK in Scottsdale.

Pat Perez: Didn’t play last year and WD last week MID ROUND with a thumb problem. Everyone knows he grew up on this course.

Charley Hoffman: 21 starts, two top-10 checks. The money he raises for charity during this week is more important to the golf. He gets it.

Coming in HAWT

Long Shots, Course Horses, Wings, Prayers

Rory Sabbatini: DFS gold as he was T20 and T14 the last two years.

Alex Prugh: Washington state native has two T5 in four starts. He’s back for the first time since 2015.